The All India Conference was going on
at Nagpur. Gandhiji and Vallabhbhai, along with others, were discussing in
his cottage. Outside the cottage, a Marwari couple was having a brawl with
the volunteers for a chance to meet Gandhiji. At last Vallabhbhai asked the
volunteers to send in whosoever it was. At the same time a volunteer came
running and informed about some mishap at the Bengal camp. Gandhiji, who had
just finished shaving, got up immediately. The sun was shining brightly.
Bapu took a sheet of cloth lying nearby and set off.
The couple, which had struggled so hard to see
Bapuji, kept staring at him. The woman held at the corner of his sheet and
said, “Just wait, I want to talk to you.” Gandhiji, who was in a hurry to
leave, dropped the sheet and left. Seeing this Vallabhbhai humoured, “On
such occasions he would even throw his valet away and go there.” In that
freezing cold Gandhiji went to the Bengal camp and witnessed an unexpected
scene. At his own cost, Das Babu had brought 250 representatives from
Calcutta to oppose Gandhiji’s proposal for non-cooperation. Banerji was
supporting the proposal. Both their representatives were having a dispute.
On reaching there Gandhiji stood upon a stool and asked the people other
than Bengalis to leave the place. Then he said to the Bengalis, “I am the
cause of all this dispute. So, if at all you want to hit anyone, hit me on
the head, first of all.” Within no time the brawl was calmed down. Gandhiji
discussed things with Das Babu, then and there. As a result, Das Babu, who
had initially opposed the proposal, himself put forth the proposal in the
meeting!